Clue
by kAyLa7
Summary: Harm and Mac are sent on a more personal case. Character death. H/M Please R&R!


Clue  
  
Author's note: Ahem, al the usual copy write stuff…JAG belongs to Donald Bellisario and CBS. There is nothing I can do to change that. Please read and enjoy. Little something I wrote to try and keep you guys hanging for a while…evil laughs  
  
  
  
Mac and Harm were already waiting outside the Admiral's office, and it wasn't even 10 o' clock yet. It was way too early to be in trouble, even for them, so something had to be wrong. The both let the breath out that they hadn't even realized they'd been holding as Tiner came out of the Admiral's office. "The Admiral will see you now, ma'am, sir." He sighed.  
  
They entered and stood at attention. The Admiral stood rigidly, and did not relieve them of the discomfort of their position. Mac inhaled deeply. Finally the Admiral spoke. 'At ease." He ordered. As soon as they were seated, he continued. "How full are your case loads?" he asked.  
  
The two officers exchanged funny glances before they both responded. "Pretty full." They chorused.  
  
"As of now," said the Admiral, "Lt Commander Turner and Lt. Roberts will take your case loads, then." He took a deep breath. "We have a major problem, and I need my best officers out there to fix it."  
  
"What is it, sir?" asked Mac curiously. She sat taller in her chair, ready to listen.  
  
"There has been a murder." Sighed the Admiral dismally. "I need you two to take care of it for me."  
  
"You mean cover it up, sir?" Harm ventured boldly.  
  
The Admiral stared shocked at his officer. "No, Commander, that is not what I mean." He retorted. "It needs to be solved, not hidden."  
  
Harm sat back in his chair, his question answered. His partner shot him death looks before she decided to speak again. "Who was it, sir?" she asked.  
  
The Admiral shifted uneasily in his large leather chair. His eyes betrayed the emotion that he was trying not to show to his officers. He cleared his throat loudly, but avoided the question.  
  
"Who was it, sir?" asked Harm. "Are you at liberty to say?" He cocked his head sideways, waiting for the Admiral to reply.  
  
"Yes, Commander, I am." He sighed. "I just truly don't want to say."  
  
Sir, we can't help to solve a murder case if we have no idea who was murdered." Harm replied laughingly. He dared to stare his superior straight in the eyes as he waited for his answer.  
  
The Admiral again cleared his throat. "It was…." He took a deep breath. "It was Cloe…" he whispered. "I'm so sorry, Colonel. I knew she was your firend…."  
  
Mac's mouth dropped open, but no words came out. She just stared. Them suddenly, anger registered itself across her face. She turned red. She gulped down the lump in her throat before she responded. "Admiral, why is JAG on this case?" she choked. "Why?"  
  
The Admiral sighed before he answered her question. "I knew about your relationship with the victim, so I told SecNav we would take it. There has been no press release about it so far. I intend to keep it that way." The Admiral paused, drew in a breath, and continued. "You can investigate. If you two find out who did it, you have my permission to nail him to the wall. If, after you find anything, you think it is okay to release anything to the press, let me know. For now, just do what you can. I'm sorry."  
  
"Yes, sir." Choked Mac. Her and Harm got up, saluted their superior officer, and quickly left his office. Mac barricaded herself in her office. Harm didn't dare knock on her door.  
  
"What happened?" Bud asked, as he passed the door.  
  
"Nothing, Bud. Please get back to work." Sighed Harm, frustratedly. Moments later, Mac emerged from her office, her coat in hand, and rushed toward the elevator. Harm followed her out of the office.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked softly.  
  
"I need to go talk to her dad.." Mac sobbed.  
  
"I'll come with you." Harm offered. When his friend made no objections, he climbed into the car next to her. She said nothing throughout the entire car ride to Cloe's father's house.  
  
Mac was the one who knocked on the door. A woman answered it: Cloe's step mother. Harm and Mac were still in uniform. Nevertheless, Cloe's step mom seemed glad that they were there to visit. "Oh, Mac! How nice to see you!" she exclaimed. "Who is this dashing young gentleman with you?"  
  
Mac opened her mouth as if she was about to reply to the woman's question. Again, like earlier, nothing came out. Suddenly, Mac burst into tears, wrapping Cloe's unsuspecting step mom in a hug. "Something terrible has happened!" she cried. Harm and her were quickly welcomed into the house.  
  
The three of them sat in the living room, patiently waiting for Cloe's father to emerge from his room. When he came out and saw Mac there, his face instantly brightened. When he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks, his expression changed, and he took a seat next to his wife in the living room. "What is it, Mac?" he asked her timidly.  
  
"It's Cloe.." Mac managed. Harm put his arm around her shoulder, and gave her a little hug. She collected herself a little before she finished telling the terrible news. "She's been…..murdered…." Mac's tears began to fall once more. The Madison's were still digesting the news, or rather, they were in shock. Mrs. Madison started to cry first, followed closely behind by her husband. The couple hugged each other and openly sobbed for ten minutes before they were able to collect themselves enough to speak.  
  
"What are they doing about it now, Mac?" Cloe's father asked.  
  
"They have assigned Harm and I to the case." Mac sighed. "They are keeping it under wraps until we find out what happened. I guess that's why nobody told you about it yet…" She looked to her partner, who nodded to show his support. Mac waited for Cloe's father to speak.  
  
"Well, Mac, you find out who did this, and you let me know…" he raged. "You just let me know." He abruptly got up and left, leaving his wife in the living room alone with Harm and Mac, to sob by herself.  
  
"Goodbye, Mrs. Madison." Smiled Mac. "Keep your chin up for me. We will find out who did this." Her and Harm left.  
  
When the pair returned to the JAG office the next day, everyone was running about completing their usual tasks. They were called into the Admiral's office. "At ease." He told them. "I have some information for you." He sighed. "Maybe it will be able to help a bit." He handed Mac a manila folder. "Good luck." He said. "You're dismissed." The pair promptly left, and headed for Mac's office.  
  
Mac was going through the files even as she walked. Harm opened her office door for her. They walked in, and flipped on a light. Standing there waiting for them was Mic Brumby.  
  
Mac jumped, surprised that he was there. He was the one who spoke first. "I heard about Cloe." He said simply.  
  
Harm got apprehensive. "How did you know about that? Nobody knows about that…" he glared. 


End file.
